NEWTON — A Vernon man accused of killing a man who apparently was trying to have an affair with his wife could face trial early next year, pending the completion of three forensic reports, a prosecutor said today.

Ryczard Gorski, 45, a native of Poland, is charged in the shooting death of Marek Lacki, 47, also of Vernon, during a post-holiday party at Gorskis’ Highland Lakes home on Jan. 7, 2012.

Sussex County Assistant Prosecutor Seana Pappas said she is awaiting pathology and ballistics reports, as well as a blood stain analysis from the defense, before a trial date can be set.

“It’s been 21/2 years since Mr. Lacki was killed, everyone is anxious for this to go to trial ... sooner rather than later, hopefully on Jan. 1,” Pappas told Superior Court Judge Thomas Critchley, sitting in Newton.

Critchley tenatively scheduled a pre-trial conference in the case for Aug. 5 when a trial date is expected to be scheduled.

During an interview outside the courtroom, Gorski’s attorney, Patrick Jennings of Hackensack, declined to comment on the reports but maintained his client’s innocence.

Lacki’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the “head/neck area,” according to his three-page arrest affidavit. He was slumped on a couch in a shed, commonly referred to by witnesses as a “man-cave,” near Gorski’s home on Kewaskum Road.

An unregistered black revolver was seen on Lacki’s lap by a witness who said he heard a “heated discussion” between the two men about Gorski’s wife, Irena Gorski, just prior to hearing gunshots, the affidavit states.

An autopsy found Lacki’s wounds were “definitely” not self-inflicted, according to the affidavit.

After the killing, Irena Gorski told investigators she rebuffed Lacki’s attempts to have an affair with her, but acknowledged communicating with him daily via cell phone and text messages.